Rape suspects dash for freedom

TWO suspects, charged with gang-raping a school teacher, have escaped while being escorted to the Goroka Court House last week, says Eastern Highlands police commander Supt Michael Welly.
“They made a dash for freedom while being escorted by a lone police prosecutor to court on Dec 16,” he said.
Supt Welly said Tom Tella, 26, and Glen Ricky, 25, both from Jonteve village in Henganofi, Eastern Highlands, had been attending court hearings since their arrest in September.
“I appeal to the people to help police recapture the duo; to have such people with such sick minds on the loose is a threat to communities,” he said.
Tella and Ricky allegedly raped a Henganofi Primary School teacher on July 10 when they broke into her home in the school compound at about 10pm while under the influence of alcohol.
They allegedly forced open the door and when she told them to leave, they threatened to kill her if she called out for help.
They then allegedly forced the teacher into the kitchen, further threatened her with an iron-rod, stripped and raped her.
They were on the run for a month and pressure mounted in the village for them to surrender.
Both ultimately surrendered and were charged with rape.